Chapter Text
1 year later
Harry was in the back of the library with a sticky note on his pointer finger and a stack of books in his arms when his coworker Karina found him.
“Oh, Harry, there you are.”
He nodded, but he knocked the book on top with his chin and the whole stack tilted dramatically to the side.
“Oh, shit,” he said.
Karina squeaked and then reached out to help him, but the books still tumbled to the floor. He was left holding one worn copy of the Malleus Maleficarum.
“Well, there goes Dr. Brown’s request,” he joked, even though his toe was smarting from where a heavy copy of Daemonologie had struck him.
They both bent over to pick them up, balancing everything back in Harry’s arms.
Karina was eyeing the books. “What section is this for?”
“Dr. Brown is doing a witchcraft section for the autumn equinox. I think it’s for the early modern class, but I’m not sure. She sent a bunch of requests at once.”
Karina nodded and plucked the sticky note from his hand. She was looking at it and said, “Did you grab them all?”
Harry shifted the books in his arms and started moving down the aisle.
“Yeah, I just grabbed the last of them. Did you need something?”
“Oh,” she said, perking up. “No, your boyfriend is here.”
Harry blushed. It had been just over a year of being able to call Louis that and it still sent a thrill through him. “Is he in the office?”
“No, I left him by circulation. He was looking over the display.”
Harry smiled to himself.
Louis had been to the library several times since he’d flown back to the city. Just as he had requested, Harry had shown him around. He’d taken him to see his favorite rare books, he’d laughed when Louis had to tug on gloves and Louis had laughed when Harry tugged him into the darkest part of the stacks.
It had been the best year of his life. Even though, at times, it had been difficult. Odds had spent last fall recording. Louis had extended his temporary stay in New York City to be with Harry and did most of his recording from there. Harry had gone into the studio with him a couple of times to watch him lay down vocals. It had been so hot watching him focus on the music, on the lyrics he wrote. The perfectionism that came out of him in needing it to be just right. It had Harry fanning himself.
Once the holiday’s passed the band headed to Europe for the rest of the tour. Then Asia and Australia in the spring. Harry joined them when his schedule permitted, but he was so grateful for Louis. For how dedicated he was to being present in Harry’s life even when he wasn’t physically there. The hundreds of phone calls, voice memos, videos he received.
Just the thought of it could make him weep.
Karina and him exited the shelves and rounded the corner to see Louis still standing by the display at the front, but a student was there talking to him. He was in blue jeans, a white tee and an oversized cream cardigan with skulls on the front. A cap pulled over his hair was his only attempt at being inconspicuous. He was thankful Louis liked things oversized because their closet had merged again and he had a hard time remembering what belonged to who.
Karina took the books from his arms with a low grunt and Harry continued on to his boyfriend.
As he moved closer he could hear their conversation.
“-is like my favorite band. I can’t wait for your new album.” The student was moving her hands around dramatically, emphasizing her words.
Louis was smiling kindly at her, focusing on her as she spoke.
“Not long to wait now. Out next week. It’s a good one, we’re really proud of it.”
She blushed, her whole face turning red under his attention. And Harry could understand, he’d done the same many times before.
“What are you doing here at NYU? At the library?” She pushed her hair behind her ear and looked up at him. Louis didn’t react, but Harry did. He held in a snort and finally walked over to them.
“Hi, honey,” Harry said sweetly. He stepped forward and pressed a kiss to Louis’ cheek. His stubble was rough and delicious against Harry’s lips.
When he stepped back Louis had a smirk on his face, like he knew exactly what Harry was doing and didn’t mind.
“Marissa, hi,” Harry said, turning to the student. “How did your lit assignment go a couple of weeks ago?”
Marissa fish mouthed a moment before she got a hold of herself. “Harry, hi. Yes, it was - it was good. I got an A minus. Thank you for all your help.”
“Of course,” he smiled warmly at her. Louis slipped his hand into Harry’s and gave it a gentle squeeze.
The touch alone had his heart leaping. Marissa glanced down at their hands and her eyes went a bit wide.
“Sorry, I was just picking up Harry here.”
“Right,” she said, stunned.
“I gotta get my stuff from the office.” Harry angled his head toward the doors behind circulation. “Let me know if you need help on the next one.”
She nodded, her eyes bouncing from their hands to their faces and back in turn. It had Harry fighting back a laugh.
Harry tugged Louis towards the office. He waved to Marissa, but was laughing on Harry’s heels.
They’d kept their relationship pretty lowkey in the last year. They were both private people and Harry lived a relatively quiet life with a tight circle of friends. And Louis wasn’t so well known he couldn’t walk the streets without being recognized. It was a rare occasion that they had a run in like today. Louis was always generous with his fans and Harry didn’t mind a bit. He blended into the background as best he could and they didn’t worry too much about it.
Louis pulled the office door closed behind him and then pressed Harry against it. He had a shared office and he double checked over Louis’ shoulder that it was empty in there. When he was sure his eyes found Louis’ again and he was looking at Harry amusedly.
“It’s cute when you’re jealous,” Louis said, pressing a slow kiss to each of Harry’s still pink cheeks.
Harry’s hands were around Louis’ waist. His fingers slipped up the back of his cardigan, pressing into him where he knew the words “pleasure is pain” were knitted across his back.
“Nothing to be jealous of,” Harry mumbled. “You’re mine for life.”
Louis huffed a laugh against his lips before he pressed them together. His hand held Harry’s jaw gently. It was only a light kiss, a tease really, for the weekend to come. They pulled apart a few seconds later.
Harry closed his eyes and wrapped him in a hug. He wasn’t ready to let go. He breathed in the scent of Louis’ cologne and the stale scent of smoke that hung to his clothes. It was his favorite scent. It automatically centered him, made him feel whole and sure of himself.
“Are you ready to go?” Louis asked into his shoulder.
Harry nodded and pulled apart. He pressed another kiss to Louis’ lips.
It had been a little over a year and he hadn’t grown used to it. Grown bored of it. Not in any single way. Every moment he was thankful to have.
Harry signed off his computer and grabbed his work bag from the side of his desk. It was Thursday afternoon and they were heading out of town for a long weekend. Just the two of them.
The band's new album was coming out in a little over a week and after a blissful summer off together, this was their last chance for a break together. Until the holidays at least. They wanted to make the most of it. Nothing flashy, just something that was very them.
They walked out of the library with Louis’ hand warm on his back. He waved to his coworkers as they went and huffed a laugh when he saw Marissa eyeing them over her text book.
Louis had a rental car parked around the block. They walked there slowly with their hands clasped between them. Harry tossed his work bag in the back with their weekenders and climbed into the driver’s seat.
While Harry adjusted the mirrors, Louis was hooking up to the sound system and bringing up the GPS.
“I made a playlist,” Louis said as he settled back in his seat, one leg tucked under the other thigh and the other spread wide. Harry wanted to sit on his lap or between his legs or-
He threw the car in drive.
It was a four hour journey to Vermont. They listened to music, joked about other cars on the road, and held hands over the center console.
It was nearly dark by the time they exited 91. Louis had rented a cabin on the side of the mountain and they had to drive about a mile up a dirt road to get there. It was the second week of October, the days just starting to get darker and cooler.
When Harry turned onto the dirt road they both rolled their windows down. He drove slowly, the leaves dripping orange and gold as they fell to the ground. The air was crisp and sharp as it rolled through the car, but Louis’ hand was warm in his.
The lights of the cabin bathed the clearing it was nestled into in a soft glow. It looked like it had stepped out of a fairytale just for them. Harry was pretty sure he gasped. Louis looked smug next to him when he turned to get out of the car.
They grabbed their bags from the back and went towards the front door.
It was warm inside, softly lit and cozy - like stepping into a hug. Everything was cast in low lighting with plush rugs and rounded, oversized furniture.
“Louis this is-'' Harry didn’t finish, he just stood in the entryway.
“Wait till you see the bathtub.”
Louis was standing close behind him and his hand came up to rub over Harry’s hip. Harry leaned into the touch and then back into Louis’ chest.
“Thank you for this,” Harry said quietly.
Louis hummed and kissed his temple, his breath warm against the side of Harry’s face. Harry’s head lolled back against his shoulder and Louis’ lips started to work on his neck. His hand was still rubbing at Harry’s hip, flirting with the waistband of his trousers.
“Are you tired?” Louis asked into his skin. He nipped at the juncture of Harry’s shoulder and he burned all the way through.
“No,” Harry breathed out. “Show me the bathtub.”
Harry felt Louis’ teeth press against his skin. They walked forward with Louis’ hands still on his waist, their bodies moving in tandem, as they made their way towards the bathroom.
+
Harry woke with his body pressed fully behind Louis’, his knee between his legs and his hips pressing Louis into the mattress. His hand was warm where it was pressed against Louis’ belly and squished into the mattress. He was hard and he was sure his hips must have been grinding forward in his sleep. His nose was just at the bottom of Louis’ hairline and he smelled like his shampoo from their shower the night before and just the scent of his skin had him nuzzling his face in.
Louis’ ass shifted beneath his hips, grinding backwards onto Harry’s cock. Harry let out a breathy moan.
“Are you awake?” Louis asked, his voice gravelly.
Harry nodded into the nape of his neck, Louis’ hair tickling his nose. He sucked at the skin there lightly, his mouth wet from sleep and arousal and just needing to be doing something.
“You’re killing me here,” Louis snarked, his hips shifting again.
Harry licked his lips. Arousal sat heavy between his legs. “D’you need me to move?”
“I definitely need you to do something.”
Harry ground forward again and Louis’ face tilted further to the side. Harry could see his lashes dark and fluttering against the top of his cheekbones. His right arm was up by this head and his fingers were lightly gripping the headboard.
He nuzzled into his neck again. “I’m not sure what’s come over me.”
Louis groaned low in his throat.
“You fell asleep with your hand in my fucking underwear last night,” Louis said. He’d started moving his hips rhythmically under Harry. It meant that when the words processed in his head, he let out a low moan that cut off into a laugh.
“Did I really?” he nipped at Louis’ neck and then tongued at the top knob of his spine.
“Right at the base of my cock. I tried to roll over and you rolled with me.”
Harry laughed again and Louis rolled his hips back in retaliation.
“Must be all that fresh air,” he mumbled into Louis’ skin.
His hand under Louis’ body tried to inch lower, to rub across his abs and towards his cock. Louis let out a choked off groan from the pressure.
“Okay I’m-“ Louis started, bracing himself with his arms and making to push up. But Harry pressed him down with his knee and Louis crumpled with an ‘oof’.
“Let me,” Harry said. He continued to mouth at Louis’ bare back. He shifted his body so he was straddling the back of his legs. Louis’ skin was warm from Harry’s body against it all night and still lightly tanned from the summer.
Louis was shifting under him, trying to get friction from the mattress and shivering every other time Harry’s teeth tugged on his skin.
His mouth reached Louis’ lower back, kissed across the flat plane and mouthed at his dimples. He pulled his hands out from under Louis’ body and skimmed them along the elastic of his underwear.
“I swear to God, H,” Louis threatened.
Harry tugged down his underwear, over his ass and as far down his thighs as he could get them without moving. Louis let out a relieved sigh from his cock being freed. Harry roamed over the newly exposed skin. The stark white tan line just at the top of his ass, the sparse blonde hair, and the ugly penguin tattoo on his left cheek. He leaned over to bite it just to hear Louis yelp.
“Fuck, you always do that.” Louis tried to kick with his foot, but it was trapped by his tangled underwear and Harry’s legs on top of him.
Harry laughed into that stupid penguin, kissed the spot he bit then smoothed his hands over it to soothe it better.
He sat back on his heels and looked down at Louis below him. His chest heaving a bit, his underwear trapped at his knees and his hands thrown up the mattress. His ass just sitting there between them.
Harry shifted his hips forward just enough that the tip of his clothed cock ground into Louis’ cheek just next to his hole. He licked his lips.
He leaned over Louis and grabbed the pillow he didn’t sleep on all night. Choosing instead to cuddle into Louis' back.
“Budge up,” Harry said, shoving it under Louis’ hips. Louis lifted up on his knees and Harry watched his face as he licked his lips.
He didn’t usually end up with Louis underneath him, but it was a treat every time. He’d seen, touched, and kissed every inch of skin on his body thrice over at this point. He was always hungry for more. Never willing to give up the chance to take him apart.
But they both felt that way and usually Louis had him like putty in his hands.
He skimmed his hands down Louis’ back and to his ass. Louis huffed out a breath at the light pressure and the noise had a smile blooming on Harry’s face.
His thumb skimmed along his crack, just the very tip of his nail running along the other side and lightly over Louis’ rim before disappearing. Louis’ hips shifted again on the bed.
Harry scooted down the bed, pushing Louis’ legs apart and laying between them. When his breath ghost across Louis’ ass he let out a hissing, “yesss.”
Harry bent and sucked at the very bottom of his left cheek where it met his thigh, his nose bumping into Louis’ balls. He pulled the skin between his teeth, nibbled and suckled. His right hand was soothing up the back of Louis’ other thigh, teasing over the hair and tickling his inner thigh.
“Fuck,” Louis ground out and Harry finally released his skin from between his teeth. There was an angry red welt already forming and Harry reached out to touch it reverently.
“S’gorgeous,” Harry slurred out. His mouth was still just hovering over Louis’ skin. He was breathing in the scent of him. The body wash they had shared last night, scrubbing each other after they’d taken a bath and covered the tiled floor with water from Harry riding him.
He lathed over the mark with his tongue and Louis’ hissed, but didn’t pull away.
“I love your legs,” Harry mumbled into the skin. He’d moved down to his thighs, Louis spreading them as far as he could with the elastic trapping him. Harry left open mouth kisses all along them, drooling and sucking on the skin. He was making a mess as he went, Louis’ legs wet and covered in pinking bruises.
Louis was shifting, trying to get friction, and letting out high, breathy sounds each time Harry released a patch of skin.
Harry licked up his inner thigh and nosed at the cleft of his ass. He used his thumbs to spread Louis’ cheeks wide and then licked.
Louis moaned loud enough Harry felt it vibrate through the bed.
Harry swirled his tongue, kissed around his rim, breathed hot air on his skin. All the while Louis was grinding into the pillow and huffing out quiet whines.
He flattened his tongue for long even licks. He sucked behind his balls. Then licked from there to the top of his ass. He used his hands to tilt Louis’ hips up further, his mouth still open over Louis’ hole as he looked at the obscene curve of his spine. Harry was so hard, panting for him already. He wanted to watch as Louis crumbled. The thought of him splayed and panting, red from his cheeks to his ass, had Harry grinding down onto the bed for relief.
Louis had his arm pulled under his head now. Harry could see it was wet with spit and his other hand was wrapped around the bar of the headboard.
He gave the smallest of licks right at the center of Louis’ hole and then pressed his tongue flat to it, just to feel it flutter under him.
“Baby,” Louis moaned. He ground his hips back against Harry’s tongue.
Harry wedged a hand between Louis’ stomach and the pillow and held on tight to his hips. Louis let out a pitiful sounding growl and kicked his legs again.
Harry stretched onto his knees, his body pressing Louis to the mattress for a moment while he leaned over him to grab the lube they’d discarded on the bedside table the night before.
“Want your fingers,” Louis slurred out. He tried to move his hips, but Harry’s arm held him in place.
Harry went back to his belly. He kissed back up Louis’ thighs, treasured the feeling of the fine hair there tickling his tongue and the shifting of Louis’ hips.
He let his hot breath run over his inner thighs, his balls and back over his rim. He saw goosebumps rise on Louis’ legs and pressed a smirk to his hole. He worked his tongue back over him, getting him wet and messy. He looked down to see him glossy with the morning sunlight before sharpening his tongue and pressing it at his opening.
“Fuck,” Louis growled.
Harry pulled back and pressed in again. Over and over he slipped his tongue around Louis’ rim and then pressed it in. Louis was trying to grind his hips and Harry was using all his strength to hold him steady.
He pulled his mouth back and flipped the top of the lube with his teeth. He rested his forehead against Louis’ lower back and watched as the lube drizzled down his crack, catching on his rim and pooling on the back of his balls.
He used his thumb to push it up and smeared it around Louis’ rim before pressing in his first finger. Louis did his best to wiggle as it sunk into him. A low groan working out of him. He arched his back further pressing into it and Harry was enraptured watching it. He kissed at the top of his ass as his finger worked in and out of the hot heat.
When Louis made his first impatient noise, Harry worked in the second finger. He kissed Louis’ back and ass as he plunged into him repeatedly, his fingers just curling as they entered him. Just enough that Louis’ started making involuntary, impatient whines in the back of his throat.
“I hate you,” Louis moaned, kicking out his legs and moving his hips at the same time.
Harry smiled into his skin, bit gently at the knob of his spine and rubbed along Louis’ walls until his legs spasmed and he moaned long and high.
Harry moved his fingers faster and licked from his lower back down to his fingers. He swirled around Louis’ rim, the taste of lube a moot point with the way Louis’ howled.
“H, you gotta, fucking.” He squirmed his hips, trying desperately to lift up.
Harry pressed against Louis’ prostate and massaged for several seconds in a row, his tongue still licking around his fingers. Louis was losing it underneath him and Harry loved it.
He pulled his fingers out and Louis’ whined before Harry pushed his tongue in. He used his arms to pull Louis’ hips up and used the hand that had been inside of him to tug on his cock.
“Oh, fuck, I’m so fucking close.”
Harry moved his hand faster. Louis was so wet under his hand and so wet under his tongue as it thrust inside of him. Then all of a sudden he was clenching down and spilling over Harry’s hand and the sheets with a long groan.
Harry pulled his mouth back and Louis’ hole trembled for a second before he pressed two fingers from his clean hand inside. Just holding them in there, twitching slightly as Louis’ body trembled.
Harry pulled his cock out of his boxers and tugged at it with the hand still covered in lube and cum. It was only a few short tugs before he came, striping Louis' ass and where Harry’s fingers were still pushing slowly into Louis’ hole.
He pumped his fingers a few last times, a squelching sound the only sound in the room other than their heavy breathing.
Louis squirmed away from his touch and flopped on his back. His chest was still heaving and he was damp with sweat and streaks of cum were painted up his chest. His legs were fully tangled in his underwear, his hips twisted and his cock softening against his thigh. He was gorgeous.
He sat back on his knees and admired his boyfriend. His lover. His heart.
Louis smiled up at him. A lazy grin on his face, his bangs sweaty on his forehead and his whole chest flushed. Harry pressed a kiss to his sternum, right in the middle so he could feel his heartbeat against his lips, before kissing him on the mouth.
“Let’s get cleaned up,” Louis said. He pushed his hair off his forehead, his arm red and wet where he’d bet biting on it.
He pulled Louis up and they stumbled into the large walk in shower. They washed slowly, pausing to kiss and laugh into each other’s skin as they went. When they were out and towel dry they got dressed and slipped on their shoes.
It was a mile walk to the center of town. They took it slowly. It was a crisp October day, just enough bite in the air that by the time they reached town Harry’s nose was pink from the cold.
They strolled through the town they’d grown up around hand in hand for the first time. They walked past the long, winding drive up to Brightview Academy where it was nestled on the side of the mountain and continued past the Co-Op and the general store. The diner was on the next corner. It all looked exactly the same as it always had.
A few cars were parked on the street and next to the doctor’s office and town library. The paint was still peeling on the side of the general store and the diner’s chalkboard sign remained perched on the sidewalk.
“Thought it would look different,” Louis said.
“I’m kind of glad it doesn’t,” Harry admitted. He kissed the back of Louis’ hand where it was still clasped in his and tugged him across the street.
The bell over the door tinkled as they stepped inside.
There was still the same cream paint on the wall. The coffee bar when you first walked in with a couple of stools and only ten or so tables with mismatched chairs. It smelled like coffee and like breakfast cooking on the grill.
They were seated in a booth in the back, tucked under the eaves into a little nook. It was so private it felt like they were the only two people in there. His back was facing the room and the only thing he could see was Louis. The light from the window cutting through his hair, lighting up the caramel strands, the sharp blue of his eyes, the way his nose was still stubbornly red from the cold.
The menus were in front of them, but neither of them had looked.
“What can I get you to drink?”
Harry turned to see a young guy with a pencil tucked in his ear and his arms crossed over his chest.
Louis leaned his elbows onto the table.
“I’ve not been here for ages, but you guys used to do these maple milkshakes.”
The waiter nodded. “We still do.”
Louis smiled, his eyes crinkling.
“We’ll take two,” Harry said.
He nodded again and stepped away.
They both finally picked up their menus. It was bigger than it used to be. There was breakfast on one side and lunch on the other. Louis started on one side and Harry on the back before they flipped at the same time.
“What’re you thinking?” Louis asked.
“Going to do one of the breakfasts.” He pointed at the bottom of the menu. “They’ve got a cranberry bread I want to try.”
Louis wrinkled his nose. “I’m desperate for the french toast I think.”
“Well if you’re desperate for it,” Harry teased.
A different waitress walked over with a pencil in her hand and a notepad in front of her. Harry squinted at her and was sure she looked familiar.
“What can I get you boys?”
She wrote down their order and came back a minute later with their milkshakes. They were piled high with whip cream when she pushed them in the center of the table and tossed two straws down.
“I almost didn’t recognize you boys,” she said. Harry stared at her for another second and it rushed back. She was the same waitress they’d always had when they were teenagers. Carol, he was pretty sure. When they would walk down in the early morning, crisp fall days like this when the fog hung heavy over the road. And then they would sneak back up before weekend activities. She gave them the same look now that she used to when she knew they were sneaking about, a humorous disappointment. “What with the tattoos and whatnot.”
Louis cracked a smile. “How’ve you been, darling?”
She cracked at that and gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Getting older by the minute. Not excited about another winter, I’ll tell you that.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Louis agreed. “We’ve just come up for the long weekend. Staying up the road.”
“Marty’s place,” she said, like she knew. She probably did. It was a small town. Small enough she’d remember two kids from ten years before.
“That’s the one,” Louis agreed.
“Well, you boys enjoy your food.” She patted Louis on the shoulder again. “I’m so glad you two are still together. You were always just the sweetest things.”
Harry blushed, his smile caught between his teeth and he had the urge to press his hands to his cheeks. Louis laughed as she walked away, his eyes gone small and the crinkles around them deep from joy.
Harry was still red when he picked up his straw. Louis followed suit and they both tapped the end down on the table three times before yanking off the straw wrapper.
“Well here goes nothing.”
They both plunged them into the milkshakes and leaned over to take the first sip. They sipped and they sipped. Across from him Louis’ eyes were wide with laughter, his cheekbones cutting sharp on his face as he sucked in, then all of a sudden he jerked and the milkshake must have hit his tongue.
A second later it did for Harry as well. The milkshake was cold on Harry’s tongue first and then the sweet taste of maple. Like vanilla and caramel, thick and creamy and delicious all at once.
He swallowed, sat back and licked his lips.
Louis was staring puzzled at the shake in front of him.
“Is it possible…” he started to say, but cut himself off.
“It’s better,” Harry confirmed.
“How is it better?! I didn’t think it could get better and somehow!”
Louis took another sip, his eyes wide again from how hard he had to suck on the straw to get the milkshake through it. Harry would have been turned on by Louis' cheeks hollowed out if he wasn’t on the edge of laughing at the ridiculous look in his eyes.
He took Louis’ hand where it rested on the table. Their fingers tangled together and they continued to drink, and continued to laugh their way through the milkshakes. Harry had never felt so happy, so content, so excited for the life ahead of him.
If every weekend was like this. If every day could feel like this.
He thumbed over the 28 on Louis’ fingers. Harry was twenty eight now and it was the best year of his life so far. It was the two of them, forever. For eternity, infinity.
“Marry me.”
The straw fell from Louis’ mouth.
“Baby.”
Harry smiled at him, his thumb still tracing the eight on his middle finger.
“I love you, I’ve always loved you, I will always love you. Marry me. I want you forever.”
Louis’ eyes were glassy in the morning light. His lips pressed together in a smile.
“Of course.” He turned his hand over in Harry’s to hold it. The warm press of it had Harry close to tears. “You have me.”
Louis used his other hand to dig around in his pocket. There was laughter on his lips. When he put it back on the table it didn’t look like he was holding anything.
“You are my best friend, my oldest friend. You know me from the inside out. All the most annoying bits about me and you love me anyway.” Louis paused with a smirk and Harry laughed wetly. “You are the kindest and funniest person I know. The way you care, the way you love, the way you shine.”
Louis stopped and shook his head. Harry gripped his other hand in his. He needed it to steady him.
Then he continued, “Never mind you’re the most gorgeous person I have ever seen. Will ever see. I am going to love you for the rest of your life. The rest of my life.”
Harry sniffled. His eyes were stinging and the first tear dropped. “Lou.”
“But I am a little annoyed that you beat me to it.” He smiled at Harry warmly. His right hand in Harry’s going slack and pulling out of his grip.
Left in Harry’s upturned hand was a ring.
It was gold, glinting molten in the light. Harry gasped. His hand closed around it for a second just to believe it was real.
Then he was laughing. There was so much joy bubbling out of him he almost doubled over from the force of it. Across from him Louis was shaking with it as well. Harry wiped at his eyes with his sleeve, the ring was still clutched in his other hand, warm from Louis’ own hand and he could hardly believe it was for him. Harry had known he wanted to be with Louis forever since he was a delusional fifteen year old. But asking him was spur of the moment. It was the way the light hit Louis’ face in a place that had always belonged to them. It was the love he had overflowing.
But Louis had already known. He’d been planning to ask Harry all along.
He wanted to climb over the table and into his lap. He wanted to never leave it. To curl under his arms in this booth and live here forever.
Louis ran his fingers over Harry’s hand and then around the ring where it sat in the middle of his palm.
“Do you like it?”
Harry nodded even though he hadn’t properly looked at it. It didn’t matter what the ring looked like. Its existence alone meant Harry loved it.
He looked closer at it now. It was gold with flowers and rope delicately etched into the side, woven together in infinity. On the inside, engraved, was “we beat the odds.”
Harry wiped at his eyes and then laughed behind his sodden wrist.
Louis took it gently from his hand and slipped it onto his finger. It was a perfect fit. It looked unreal on his finger.
He laughed again, his head tossed back with the force of it. How he couldn’t believe that this was how it was now.
“Can I get you one too?”
Louis nodded, then angled his left hand towards Harry so he could see the 28 on his fingers. “Though I’ve already had you on my skin for years.”
Harry ran his fingers over the ink on his skin.
Their food was placed in front of them. Harry had forgotten they’d ordered anything. That he was even hungry. He was sure they were a sight to see, both of them looking like they’d been crying, clutching each other across the table and unable to take their eyes off of each other.
The rest of their lives started now. In a sunny diner on a Friday in October. In the place they started and now the place they’d live on in forever.